It is often desirable to drain fluids from a wound. Fluids that can accumulate in the wound and lead to various complications include blood, serum, pus, bile or other biological fluids. Removal of these fluids can promote proper healing and reduce the threat of infection, thus reducing the amount of time spent in the hospital.
A drain catheter can be used to drain fluids from the wound. The drain catheter typically includes a plastic tube having one or more perforations at one end. The perforated end of the tube is placed adjacent the wound, while the other end of the tube may be connected to a source of suction, which is typically wall suction present in an operating room. The suction causes fluid to be aspirated from the wound, whereupon it can be collected in a suitable container.
A problem arising when using a drain catheter is that the tube perforations may become occluded, preventing further drainage of fluid. Due to the close proximity of tissue to the drain catheter, tissue may be drawn towards the catheter and expand into the tube perforations, blocking the passage of fluids into the tube. Debris such as a blood clot or a coagulated protein mass may further block the tube perforations.
If the occluded drain catheter is not cleared in a timely manner, fluid in the wound may accumulate, slowing the healing process and/or causing infection, as described above. Additionally, an operator of the drain catheter may observe the lack of fluid coming from the occluded drain catheter and wrongly believe that no more fluid remains in the wound. This may cause the operator to prematurely remove the drain catheter from the wound. Furthermore, due to the ingrowth of tissue, more force may be needed to adjust or remove the drain catheter, causing additional trauma to the wound.